GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Oakland Athletics’ outfield looked totally set to start the season, but with Craig Gentry’s back injury still keeping the offseason addition off the field, there is an increasing chance that non-roster player Sam Fuld will make the team.
Fuld is hitting .308 this spring, and there is good reason for the A’s to find a roster spot for him: He is the only extra outfielder in camp with much major league experience, and he has an out in his deal if he isn’t on the Opening Day roster. He also can opt out June 1 if he is not on the roster.
In addition, Fuld can play all three outfield spots extremely well, with no drop-off at any of the positions, manager Bob Melvin said.
The other outfield possibilities remaining camp are 28-year-old Michael Taylor and 24-year-old Billy Burns, who came from the Washington Nationals in the Jerry Blevins deal in December.
Taylor spent most of the past four seasons at Triple-A Sacramento, with five short big-league stints during which he has hit .135 in 26 games. He is out of options. On Monday, Taylor hit his second homer of the spring, and he’s batting .323 with a .977 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. He leads the A’s with 10 hits and 19 total bases.
Burns, a speed burner, is now Oakland’s top outfield prospect in the upper levels of the minor leagues after the team traded Michael Choice to the Texas Rangers for Gentry. Burns stole seven bases in his first seven spring games.
Outfielder Shane Peterson, called up by the A’s early last season, was among the first reassignments of camp, getting sent to Triple-A Sacramento on Monday.
NOTES, QUOTES
–OF Craig Gentry has yet to begin baseball activity after incurring a lower back strain the first week of camp. Gentry did some running on the field on May 8, but his status for the Opening Day roster is a big question mark.
–RHP Fernando Rodriguez, who is one year removed from Tommy John surgery, threw two simulated games in camp, and the team is encouraged by his progress. It is unlikely that Rodriguez, who is out of options, will pitch in a big-league spring game, however. He is expected to open the season on the disabled list and go on a minor league rehab assignment.
–1B Daric Barton incurred a hamstring strain March 8, and he is unlikely to play again before the weekend of March 14-16. Barton, who is out of options, is a strong bet to make Oakland’s Opening Day roster. He was batting .444 with four walks, and a 1.310 OPS at the time of his injury.
–C Derek Norris has missed four games with lower back tightness, and he won’t be in action again until Wednesday at the earliest. The team is being cautious with Norris, who had his back lock up on him last year in Toronto after he tried to play through some discomfort.
–SS Addison Russell strained his right hamstring in the eighth inning Monday, but the severity of the injury was not immediately know. Russell, the organization’s top overall prospect, is not expected to break camp with the A’s, but he is the team’s likely Opening Day shortstop in 2015.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “It’s a jailbreak with him all the time.” — A’s manager Bob Melvin, on speedy minor league OF Billy Burns, who stole seven bases in his first seven spring games.